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Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Pizza Italian, Pizza [Edit]
7005 Navajo RdSan Diego, CA 92119
Neighborhood: San Carlos
(619) 461-5757
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
90 reviews for Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"...anything different, the Baked Cheese Ravioli is my tried..." In 3 reviews -
"LOCATION: Easy to find off the 8 fwy and Waring Road." In 4 reviews -
"The lasagna is made with a great Italian sausage." In 13 reviews
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90 reviews in English
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Review from Douchey B.
Southeast Fairbanks County, AK
12/16/2011
5 for the pizza.
It's not cheap.
It's not authentic.
But the pizza is divine. The rest of the menu is over priced and bland. -
Review from Josh N.
El Cajon, CA
4/26/2012
SUPER overpriced... not that great of food... Pretty much what everyone is saying.
I actually like the pizza at Mountain Mikes better next door for about 1/2 the price... -
Review from Billy T.
San Diego, CA
1/15/2012
Absolutely disappointing and outrageously expensive ($18 a plate), especially for food made straight out of a can from Costco.
I ordered the Italian sausage with red wine sauce and my boyfriend ordered the baked ravioli and lasagna. The salad was iceberg lettuce and the balsamic vinaigrette and was watered-down and bland. They brought out my plate first. It was a huge pile of over-steamed vegetables sitting next to a huge pile of tasteless sausage with green bell peppers and crunchy sun-dried tomatoes that had not been properly reconstituted both sitting in a pool of weak red wine sauce.
My boyfriend's order was the wrong dish when they brought it out and it took them another 25 minutes to bring out the correct order. The waitress was sweet about it and offered him a free dessert to make up for it. Both the ravioli and lasagna were bland and covered in the same marinara sauce, which I'm certain was the Kirkland brand from Costco. (If you are going to use canned sauce at least spice it up and make it your own.)
I felt totally taken having paid $18 a plate. We could have had a really nice, gourmet meal in Little Italy, instead we got disgusting, wholesale, dorm food.
If you're in San Carlos and craving Italian food, try Mountain Mike's Pizza around the corner. It's just as expensive, but at least it tastes good. -
Review from Jen S.
San Diego, CA
4/23/2012
the pizza was good, so I am giving them 2 stars. The rest of the food, Chicken Parm, Lasagna, and Meatballs all were bland. Did not taste fresh, or authentic. Really bummed as I was excited to find a good restaurant in our neighborhood.
And I was shocked that the portions were so small. I have never been to a restaurant where a half order of Chicken Parm was a HALF a piece of chicken breast.
The cheese pizza was yummy, but not worth going there if you want to order other menu items. -
Review from G M.
El Cajon, CA
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awww....I feel kinda bad writin' this review.
For sentimental reasons, I'd love to give these guys a great review, but....I wouldn't be true to myself if I did. :-(
When I was a kid, we used to go to the location on El Cajon Blvd and it tasted good...to a kid. Then a few times to the location off Waring Rd. It wasn't too bad, but I'd had better. Since they replaced the Fish Merchant, we thought we'd give it a shot.
The parking was full (good sign). The new deco looked nice, but why were the shutters closed when there was an absolutely beautiful sunset goin' on?! We were seated quickly and efficiently with smiles all around.
My hubby and I ordered the Penne Pesto Chicken, one of our favorites at another eye-talian joint.
Well...hmmm...how do I put this....salty and garlicky (which is good in many cases), but that seemed to be an attempt to disguise how bad the sauce really was. Doooh.... sorry Nic's. Felt sorta granular, not much flavor - other than the salt and garlic. The chicken tasted and felt like it had been cooked in the morning, refrigerated, reheated, then cut-up and tossed into the pesto. Dry and funky.
The bread was OK, but I think the bread at the Waring Rd. locaton was better. The salad was green and fresh.
Like I said, I feel bad about this review, but....the parking lot was full and the food appeals to a rather faithful following. Good for them!
Now I'm off to bed with my garlicky breath. -
Review from Adrienne J.
San Diego, CA
10/6/2011
I knew there was a reason this was only the second time I have eaten here in my 35 years.
Table set up, not friendly. I do not need to basically be sitting on the lap of the (loud, obnoxious) woman next to me.
Service was great. Friendly, instantaneous greeting, and immediate seating. Server was friendly, fast, and courteous. The only mark down she gets is for charging us for a Karl Strauss beer (5+) when we ordered a Budweiser (3+). Unfortunately we didn't realize that till after we had left.
Food portions are ridiculously small (half lasagna for twelve dollars was MAYBE the size of my palm, and I'm a tiny woman). Pizza (pepperoni and onion, nothing fancy), HALF lasagna, children's mac and cheese, 1 soda, 1 beer...46 dollars after tip. Food was bland, pizza dough was salty.
We tried it. We won't be back. -
Review from Angela B.
Santee, CA
9/8/2011
Yah Yuck....
My family is from Sicily so I think i have a higher standard when it come to Italian Food since my grandma makes the best!... I never loved Nicolosi's when it was off of Waring Road but I thought we would give this one a try. Every time I eat for the 1st time at a "new" italian restaurant I always get a plate of Pasta with marinara sauce, i figure if they can't get a staple of italian food right then they are not worth eating at... Well all i can say is YUCK..... I have NEVER had sauce with a pound of sugar in it. The sauce was so sweet it was gross and the pasta it self was chewy.... I also had a green salad with Italian dressing- which had to be store bought and it was all served with wheat rolls... UMMMMMM... wheat? where is my panni white rolls or even some garlic bread....
A half plate of Pasta a small salad and a water was $15- was over priced
Not to mention it took 45 minutes to get our food.. We were told the servers need to catch up.. with what? counting there tips....
The only reason it's getting 2 stars - the new location at the old fish merchant restaurant off of Navajo is Nice on the inside- worlds better than the old location.. also I was impressed that they had a wine bar and out door seating---- and the wait staff was nice
but if you are looking for GOOD Italian food in the east county- this is not the place... "head west young man" -
Review from Annie T.
Stockton, CA
11/28/2011
This place is really cute! They service is really nice too! I tend to order to go and eat at home with my parents and/or my friends!
We have gotten the linguini with white clam sauce (I LOVE), fettucini alfredo with shrimp (I liked a lot but my mother wasnt used to the slight alcohol (?) taste according to her), and pasta with marina sauce. Garlic bread is really good too.. and the salad is freshh! I love that you get bread with your meal as well! If you're in the area definitely check it out! -
Review from Stan R.
San Diego, CA
1/18/2012
In many ways, I would give Nicolosi's food 5 stars. Their meatball sandwich is without doubt the absolute best I've ever had (and I've had quite a few!). We've also had some really excellent dinner entrees, including chicken marsala, eggplant parmesan, stuff manicotti, spaghetti with meatballs (oh yes, those meatballs again!), etc.. Their bread is quite good.
The one thing I do have to grade them down on is sometimes inconsistent service. We ate there this week and had excellent service, as we have had a couple of other times. However, some of their newer staff just don't quite have it together, and I can't tell you how many times they have messed up our "to go" order. Their hostess, though she tries to be pleasant, comes off as aloof and seemingly put out a lot of the time.
Their prices are a bit high considering the nature of their food, but they also provide very large quantities. Sometimes our meals yield leftovers that keep us going for another 2 meals. So, I don't really squabble too much about the prices. -
Review from Jeff J.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Nice clean restaurant with a warm friendly staff and environment. Great Italian food with a good selection of various desserts to close out your meal.
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Review from Brian M.
San Diego, CA
11/25/2011
After I heard what happened to a close friend of mine at the restaurant, I'll be sure not to spend my money there - and im hyperlocal to it. Hitting a kid with a tray that sends him to ER, trying to still make them pay for dinner and a display of crappy attitude to not appear even close to sympathetic, is nowhere near the level of customer service everyone deserves.
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Review from L. D.
San Diego, CA
5/29/2011
Jan 2012 update - You know, Nicolosi's has sort of grown on me. The staff is consistently polite and happy. And I must admit their lasagna is pretty darn good. My wife and I now like to drop by at least once per month just for a casual and relaxing meal. It's even better sitting outside and looking at Cowles Mountain with the evening light of sun setting!
OK - I visited Nicolosi's for the first time and I now understand the diverse Yelp opinions. In summary - it's a family restaurant. It's a great place for kids and old people. I saw families having dinner with three generations at their table. Some of the restaurant workers have been on staff for over 20 years. It's a fun place where customers are treated like family. That said, this is not the place to go for fine wine or cuisine. Yes it does have good homemade lasagna and pizza (Barb's thin crust combo pizza is good). If you are looking for imaginative dishes or quality wines then look elsewhere. If you simply want a decent Italian meal with family at fair prices then this is the place. -
Review from Thomas D.
El Cajon, CA
1/24/2012
We just left this place and the food was delicious. My wife had the Chicken picatta with mushrooms and angel hair pasta with a nice garlic butter sauce and broccoli. I had the ceasar salad with chicken. Very tasty. I will go back again.
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Review from Ellen M.
San Diego, CA
1/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've been a regular since I was a little kid & Nicolosi's was located on El Cajon Blvd. The pizza gets 5 stars. The bread gets 5 stars. The new location get 5 stars for parking & decor...so why the 4 stars over all? I think the entrees are a bit over priced...pizza prices are OK. Some of the servers have worked here for many years & they do a great job,but a few of the new hires for this location are not really the best,although they are nice,they need to be trained to not bring your entree before your appetizer & to take more care when charging your credit card,so they don't double charge you! Yes, they" voided" the extra charge,but it sat in my authorizations for 5 days!
Over all, I would definately say give Nicolosi's a try...Pizza is great...they bring you that heavenly bread when you sit down & even though I think the entrees are a bit over priced,they sure are tasty...especially the lasagna! -
Review from Wyndi W.
San Diego, CA
11/19/2011
I love this place! Great food and friendly service :)
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Review from Alan R.
San Diego, CA
1/21/2011
2 1/2 on the pizza 3 for the food
The former home of The Fish Merchant, a San Carlos institution is now occupied by a new generation of the Nicolosi's.-- with over sixty years of success in this business they know how to open a restaurant.
The place is overflowing on a Monday night! A mix of young raucous thirty somethings popping baked cheese ravioli, and making that familiar fork-cut on their particularly smart lasagna is balanced with an older crowd of well dressed wine sippers enjoying the pasta specials. This feels like a happening neighborhood joint. Even the bar is full, and take out is flying out the front of house.
The service was uneven and overworked, it's so close to the open that I cut them some slack. The lasagna, spaghetti was very good. The food is superior to what you'd get at Fililipi's for sure.
The thin crust peperoni pizza is a bust. Oily, with the crust performing a strange aftertaste. The lemon chicken pizza is a great idea, but the toppings are sparse, on a large pie, we counted 6 pieces of zuchini.
Bustling and busy, makes it a fun neighborhood spot where you're sure to run into actual neighbors.
I'll be back, I expect a lot of the kinks are a result of the throngs of loyal fans they've built up over their remarkable historic run as some of San Diego's most succesful restauranteers, the volume is affecting the quality. -
Review from Annette L.
San Diego, CA
11/11/2011
This is my very favorite hometown Italian place ever! I feel like family when I go there.
My mom took us there when we were kids & they were on El Cajon & 40th St.
My mom craved their Torpedo Special twice a day when she was pregnant with me & I could eat one everyday they are so good, that bread is so Yummy. I also love their Baked Cheese Ravioli & their Garlic & Clam Pizza is AMAZING! I even buy their salad dressing for home. I totally recommend Nicolosi's to everyone. Give it a try you won't be sorry. -
Review from Lori C.
El Cajon, CA
5/10/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I think I have a soft spot in my heart for Nicolosi's since my now husband (dating for 12 years) took me here early on in our relationship. We have had so many great conversations over dinner and wine. I don't think I have ever ordered anything different, the Baked Cheese Ravioli is my tried and true favorite and I will not order it anywhere else.
When they closed their previous location, I didn't know what to do. Then, I find out this year that they are open again! I think a tear came to my eye and we went that night for dinner and wine, it was like old times and we closed the place down that night!
Now that my review has turned into something other than a review. I think the atmosphere is great, the food, at least one dish, is amazing! My husband and I will be returning again and again. -
Review from Sara D.
San Diego, CA
1/31/2011
Mediocre at best.
First experience here was actually quite nice. Went for a late lunch. The service was ok. Food was good and prices were quite affordable.
The second visit did not go quite as well. Placed a take-out order which was missing 3 of my 5 entrees. Shame on me for not checking before I left the restaurant but they definitely should have double checked before handing it over. After returning to get the rest of my order, the next pick up was still missing an entree -- this time I checked. The restaurant was packed with a line out the door -- clearly the poor hostess was overwhelmed with no back up. And I was not the only unhappy consumer that night as the weary manager was quick to hand me a 20% off my next visit card. Oh and did I mention they told me 30 minutes on the phone? My take-out evolution took well over an hour and a half.
I am a big believer in second chances --hopefully they worked out the kinks, etc. Went back for lunch. The food is just ok this time.
Kind of a bummer. I really wanted to like this place. The renovations are nice and the location is great for us. Definitely won't be back. Try Tiramisu Tratorria in La Mesa -- it is amazing!!Comment from Ron B. of Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant 5/1/2011
We had many issues with our take out for our first couple of… More » -
Review from Robert W.
San Diego, CA
9/25/2011
Worst italian ever. I'm from long island, new york this place should not even advertise that there italian. Family owned must mean family owned crap. Cheapest restaurant I've ever been to. I ordered a 12 inch chicken parm sandwhich
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Review from Joshua M.
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Back in the B.Y. days (that's before Yelp) I used to go to Nicolosi's all the time for pizza. It was pretty good back then, but I had never been to the new location. I went a few weeks ago with a group who was more interested in sandwiches than pizza, so I gave in and ordered a chicken parmigiana sandwich. It wasn't bad, but I think my love for this joint lies in it's pizza. I would have 4-starred it, but the service was a tad on the crusty side that night.
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Review from Steve I.
San Diego, CA
12/14/2011
Fairly good Italian food but overrated and overcrowded. Better option is Little Roma over at Lake Murray and Baltimore behind the florist. The food there is just fantastic!
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Review from Kristen M.
San Diego, CA
12/14/2011
We dine at Nicolosi's once every few weeks I'd say. It is the perfect solution for a long work week, or just for a spontaneous and casual outing midweek. I always stick with my usual linguine and meat sauce, and can never go wrong with that! We always feel right at home at Nicolosi's. The decades old, authentic Italian recipes are incredible and I would encourage everyone to taste this family-owned hidden jewel! Also a super plus - the prices definitely won't break the bank :)
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Review from Chris G.
El Cajon, CA
10/17/2011
Just awful. This place was never great but it was consistently ok. Now that it's moved, the service and food have suffered. The staff seems arrogant, almost as if they don't need your business. This will sadly be my last trip to Nicolosi's.
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Review from Shannon D.
Lakeside, CA
1/21/2012
I wanted to love this place, and I did actually enjoy my evening there. It is family owned something I like, and the decor is cozy, staff friendly. I am not a big fan of most Italian restaurants because I am weary of any sauce not made from home. I opted for a chicken salad and happy I did because I tasted my husbands dish with marinara and......Yuk. It was extremely SWEET, someone compared it to Cost-co's and I have to disagree, I have tasted Kirkland marinara and it is much better than Nicolosi's. The bread was good the garlic bread mediocre. My husbands chicken parm was good but he did not care for the sause on the pasta, neither did anyone else at the table so I happily ate my chicken salad with fresh basil and it was good. Despite the sause we enjoyed our evening but the cost for what you get is high. Portions are standard size not big not small but the average dinner is 18-25 and just not that tasty. I would give them another try but once you rule out anything with marinara at an Italian place it limits your options. Our waitress was fantastic and the cheesecake was really good. Great environment with from what I sampled just okay food, I would like to go back to try something else but that sauce was straight icky, and so sweet I have to say it again...Yuk.
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Review from Liz W.
San Diego, CA
2/2/2011
This place has been around for 58 years for a good reason. The people that make up the heart of Nicolosis are not just employees at a restaurant, but family members. Yeah, there are some young ones that are just there as an after school job, but there is deffinately a sense of hard work from a majority of the staff.
The hostess' could be taught something about customer service...trying less with the fake smiles and more with a real one.
The serving staff is awesome, there's a few bad servers that I don't know how stay on, but the gals that have been there for a while are the best.
The foods good, nothings too innovative or unique, but then again I've never really had Italian food that made my taste buds explode with flavors. -
Review from ze B.
Lakeside, CA
7/13/2011
pretty bad.
i had a simple pasta, olive oil, garlic and stuff. the pasta is below average, chewy. i tried a little of the raviolis of my friend and they were pretty bland, drowned in marinara sauce (must be canned by the way ... very bad). the pasta was not well cooked, i suspect it wasn't even fresh pasta.
the server was very attentive and tried to give me something else when she saw that i barely touched the plate. i did not make any scene, i just said that i wasn't very hungry (but i did not take the leftover home). very nice server, she did not charge the plate to the bill (there is the generous 1 star) ... great because dinner plates were very expensive ($17 and above for 'fancy' ones) for what it is.
a wanna be italian (just the name). quantity is not quality, don't they not understand that in a country where obesity is an epidemic????. they try to match up with Buca di Beppo or Filippi's Pizza Grotto ... big miss. beppo's and filippi's are just average restaurants anyway. i don't know how the cousins recommended it... last time i listen to them, i should have checked yelp fist.
don't even bother. -
Review from Barbara C.
San Diego, CA
12/19/2011
Just had a great Christmas luncheon at work for 30+ Associates. Nicolosi's food was served and it was great! Jen La Russa was great to work with. Our ordering process was easy and everything was ready just as expected. Everyone raved about the great food, baked ravioli, antipasto salad and a variety of pizzas! Can't wait to pick up my Christmas Eve order for my family holiday! Thanks Nicolosi's for making today's Christmas lunch party such a success! I highly recommend Nicolosi's. It's a family favorite of ours for lunch, dinner and now catered events!
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Review from Kaylee H.
San Diego, CA
12/19/2010
I wouldn't say I belong to the "Cult of Nicolosi's," but I will say my dinner was yummy. I had baked cheese raviolis, really good. And the bread was to die for. Good wine, good service. It's all good.
Love the new locale, right down the street from my house. Booya! -
Review from Bzilla G.
San Diego, CA
7/18/2010
I've been going to Nicolosi's for more years that I'd like to admit - since before they moved to the current location. Unfortunately the food just isn't very good any more. I stopped going for a couple of years because the food was so inconsistent. Then when the closed for a short time and re-opened they promised the food would be as good as ever. Not true. I've been back twice since they re-opened and it was hit and miss. The first time the food was good, not great, but reasonable. The second time was definitely a miss. A BIG miss.
The salad was wet lettuce and WAY over-ripe tomates that were more mush than anything. Quite possibly the worst salad I've ever had in my life. Just horrible. The lasagne was okay, not great, not even as good as usual. I would rate that night ZERO stars. So I can only give them 2 star unfortunately. Way to up and down to recommend.
Oh, but the torpedo sandwiches are still good! -
Review from Chris S.
San Diego, CA
10/24/2008
The service is god awful slow, the salad is brown and the dressing is bland and tasteless. The pasta tastes like store bought pasta and the sauce is forgettable. The meatballs are ordinary.
If you want to eat bland boring pasta go to the grocery and buy a box of pasta and a jar of sauce and save yourself the money of going here. $16 for pasta that tastes like cardboard?
If you want to spend $16 for pasta, you can find much much much better places to go. -
Review from Eddie P.
San Diego, CA
9/11/2008
Living in this neighborhood, you can't not know about Nicolosi's. While in high school, we used to go here as we explored our adolescence and display our teenage angst to the general public. Nicolosi's was a happening spot after sporting events and the perfect place to start our adventures in becoming adults.
It's hidden. There's a large sign from the interstate that reads "Nicolosi's" but to get there, you'd have to get off the freeway, make a right turn at a light that takes you on a meandering journey into a dead-end street. Nicolosi's is somewhere down that stretch.
The food is good. I've had quite a few Italian meals there, including their pizza. Over all, I'd say you get what you pay for and you will enjoy it. Sometimes their garlic bread is burned, but for the most part, it's the perfect balance of garlic and bread. Spaghetti and meatballs is also a good choice for those nights when you're carbo-loading--which is something we used to do before big sporting events to load up on that sweet, sweet energy. Other things there are fairly decent as well from what I remember.
It's just down the street and I'm thinking I have to go back for some eats because it's been entirely too long since I last ate there. -
Review from Rizzle D.
San Diego, CA
5/27/2010
I've been a long time fan of Nicolosi's. My husband and I have dined often and loved talking with Sam and the night staff. We've had several life milestones at Nicolosi's. My parents met my now husband for the first time. We held our wedding rehearsal dinner there for 65 people. We ate there too many times while I was pregnant, and now our 7 month old daughter comes to dinner with us and plows through the delicious bread. I love all my Nicolosi's memories. This place has gotten even better since the nephews took over.
LOCATION: Easy to find off the 8 fwy and Waring Road. Plus there's a huge sign to help direct you. It's a little funky as it's sandwiched between a couple motels, but a little funk never hurt anyone.
ATMOSPHERE: A true Mom and Pop stop. It's been painted inside recently and it seems brighter than before.
SERVICE: I can only speak for the nighttime staff....it's awesome. The staff remembers who you are, they are very friendly, quick, efficient, and they aren't stingy on the wine fills.
FOOD: They always start you out with the homemade bread. Delicious. We make sure it comes with their relish dish and a side of marinara for dipping. The Lasagna is great. My husband orders the cheese ravoli every time. It's sweet cheese if you're into it. A salad comes with our meals too. Lots of food, we can never finish.
We brought our Italian friend from NY here a couple years ago. He's very picky and biased when it comes to Italian food. Nothing compared to NY Italian food UNTIL he tried Nicolosi's. He ate his dish and finished my dish for me too. New York's got nothing on this place.
PRICE: I think the price is good. You get bread, salad, HUGE portions. I've read that some people think it's pricey. If money's a big concern, split one of their combo meals. We split the lasagna/ravioli combo. With the bread and salad and sharing an entree, it's plenty of food - might even save room for a slice of cheesecake!
Love this place and we come back often. The new change of ownership has made it even better. We still love the old owner, Sam, though!! -
Review from megan p.
San Diego, CA
7/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
They closed their old location and moved. The new one has more life and its a better fit for for them. The food is just as good and you can't go wrong with the handmade ravioli or the eggplant parmesan. Our waiter could have been friendlier but we were taken care of otherwise. We went late Friday night and there was no wait for a table for three but it was crowded. I will return and I look forward to trying their clams with white sauce.
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Review from Dale D.
San Diego, CA
5/12/2007
Haven't been here in awhile but that may be more because of what I usually ordered rather than an indictment of the quality of food.
The consistent thing that my friends would always order was the "Clam & Garlic Pizza".
Yes, friends... A pie liberally drenched in olive oil, clams and garlic. Veterans of the Gilroy Garlic Festival will tell you to move downwind after consuming one of these babies. I have flashbacks just thinking of the thing. My heart goes "Thump, Thump, *urk!*, Thump" just considering the threat of returning there.
Other than that, I can't really recall much. We'd sometimes get an antipasto as well but it really wasn't anything special. Of course, we were there for the garlic pizza so I may as well be grading them for the quality of their soda.
3/5 stars because it can be really crowded for fairly pedestrian fare. The location is less than ideal as well because the hotel next door is infamous for drug busts, etc. but the hotel may be gone now as the police were cracking down there some time ago. -
Review from Stephanie S.
San Diego, CA
9/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
HUGE FAN. Been going there since the old location! My family LOVES this place. They replaced a crappy seafood restaurant that went downhill....fast. The fish merchant was pretty cool until someone stuck sticks up everyone's butts. But Nicolosi's has amazing food, great great service, and always has a table with a not too long wait. Was so unbelievably sad when they closed the old location, but super super excited to hear they were not gone for good. My family much go here at least once a week. So sad I moved away, but it will be one of the first places I go when I come to visit. They have a glass of wine with my name on it : )
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Review from Kendra E.
San Diego, CA
9/5/2011
I have been VERY pleased with the service my husband and I have received both times we have been to Nicolosi's. The pasta dishes we have ordered have also been good, especially the gorgonzola. The Estancia Pinot is excellent, they even finished the bottle in my glass....yum!
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Review from Dana S.
8/28/2008
Atmosphere and service are secondary, let's talk about the food.
Food: mediocre. Good garlic bread, spag and meatballs (hope you like sweet marinara sauce), a good showing for lasagna. Salad had homemade dressing - I would have preferred Wish Bone Italian Dressing.
OK, OK...so onto the other things...
Service is slow, slow, slow! Then again, it is kind of cool to go to a "family style" restaurant for all of us SD transplants. You feel like you are stepping back in time as you walk in the door.
Parking was easy to find, although the restaurant was located in a strange area. (Just off of the 8, share the parking lot with a hotel).
Atmosphere: slow paced, you don't feel rushed to eat and get out the door. With the relaxed atmosphere comes a longer wait for your food to arrive.
All in all, it was decent. I would give it another shot...
Just gave it another shot and had to change the rating from 3 to 2 stars. The spag and meatballs disappointed, the meatball sandwich "meh" and the salad dressings were watery with a bit of salt. Pasta Bravo is looking up after a trip to this place... -
Review from Kalyan P.
San Diego, CA
9/21/2007 1 Check-in Here
Growing up in San Carlos/ Del Cerro, everyone knows about Nicolosi's but ironically I never went to the restaurant until I returned home from college.
I could always see the large Nicolosi's sign from the 8 freeway, since I was a small child taking the freeway to school. Finally I headed there with my family for an impromptu midweek trip out for dinner.
The pizza, pasta and garlic bread are all incredible. Is it the greatest restaurant I have ever been to? No. But they have good food, for a decent price, a great authentic family environment that is sorely lacking in today's society. Too many places try to force a family environment on you, but this one is the real deal. I can't wait until I have kids and my wife and I could come here with our children for a genuine night out.
My wife and I came here once when we were dating and we had a good time.
I'd suggest you go on an off night as the place can be packed. But for a couple it's a good place to come and sit down for a pizza and a couple of drinks.
Or if you like, order a pizza for take-out. -
Review from Mike H.
San Diego, CA
6/11/2007
The food was tolerable. The veggie pizza toppings were okay/good depending on your politics. They recommended garlic butter instead of red sauce, broccoli as a topping and the soggy floopy Bronx style crust. All three were all a detriment in my book. The lasagna is old school with the cheese browned. The minestrone soup was good but its style was closer to heartland American vegetable soup than any minestrone I've consumed.
There is a fine line between character and a dump. It could have been me but the place fell on the dump side. It was depressing although I can't put my finger on why. For some reason the place was full and other people were having a good time.
In the end it was a bad value.
